To Awaken
by Rickysio
Summary: Tsukune's body couldn't take any more of her blood. But he had to. So he turned into a ghoul, then he turned into something... more.
1. Illusion

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

To Awaken

* * *

Chapter 01 - Illusion

* * *

"I didn't want you to perish here; that's why I pushed you away. Away from me, but away from this dangerous world. You shouldn't be here..." There was a sharp pain in his neck, then everything turned black.

* * *

_How long has it been? Floating in this murky darkness… I can't see anything – why is it so dark?_

…_**Blood…**_

_What was that? _

…_**More…**_

_Who is that! _

_**Blood... More blood...  
**_

_What?_

He was mutely aware of something hitting his fist – the sensation of cracking bones was… foreign to him. But why would he be feeling that? Not like he was punching somebody – not like there was anyone in front of him to punch.

To float in the darkness so mindlessly was… frustrating.

There was a glimmer. A faint glow of light, but nevertheless, it was light, and he moved… he floated towards it. Slowly, but surely, he inched over to the source of the light.

It refracted back images. Scattered, yet together they formed a kaleidoscope of sorts; a very bloody kaleidoscope. Images of blind bloodshed and violence greeted his eyes, shocking his system.

_What in the…_

The feeling of domination washed over him. It felt good; it was the best feeling he ever felt since he was born. It was refreshing. As a human he was always at the bottom of the pecking order in the academy. Now he wasn't. And even if he had to pave the road to the top with bodies, he didn't care. The reward was greater than the sum of the costs – it was a worthy deal.

_I… Will…_

The road to hell was often paved with good intentions. His road to the top would be paved with carcasses. Besides, the monsters often preached the philosophy of 'the survival of the strongest', so all he was doing was to abide by that anchor stone they cast. It was their fault, if they wanted to point fingers.

The refracted light showed more images. He smirked. How dare those lowlifes even think that their strength was sufficient to stop him? He _IS_ a Vampire. The strongest of all the monsters – his strength eclipsed that of those who dared challenge him. To even attempt to do so was a crime worthy of death – those who didn't know their betters were better off dead.

_No! I… I am a human!_

_**Slaughter them… Make them scream for mercy, mighty Vampire!**_

_I… I am human!_

_**But you have evolved… Evolved far past the simple life form you had once been... Nevertheless, your mind is weak. Yield to my power, little one... Yield to my power, and discover a world that was once beyond your grasp. Rend their bones into dust – DEMOLISH THEIR SPIRITS!  
**_

_I…_

_**Kill them. Massacre them. Defile their corpses – make them fear your name, fledgling! The battlefield is your home – you belong here!  
**_

_I… Kill… I…_

_**RIP THEIR BODIES APART! SHOW THEM YOUR POWER, MAKE THEM **__**FEAR**__**! FEAR YOU! MAKE THEM QUAKE AS YOU APPROACH! MAKE THEM FEAR YOUR VERY NAME! **_

_I… Ugh… I…_

_**War flows strongly in your blood – it is your **__**destiny!**__** To you massacre is nothing but like the roller coaster at carnivals! Thrilling, and yet still so overwhelmingly easy, as though nothing could **__**be**__** simpler! Indulgence in carnage and bloodshed is natural for you! Stand tall over the rabble, and rule over all youkai!  
**_

_I… No… _

_**YIELD, LITTLE ONE. YOU ARE TOO **__**WEAK**__** TO RESIST. You WERE weak. Now you are no longer. THIS IS YOUR TRUE CALLING – HEED IT! KILL OR BE KILLED, AND YOU ARE ONE **__**BORNE**__** TO KILL! ACCEPT THE INHERITANCE OF YOUR BLOOD; EMBRACE YOUR FATE, AND STAND SUPERIOR AMONGST THE REST! YIELD!  
**_

_I… ARGHHH!_

A heavy force crushed upon his body, forcing him down – forcing him to _stop_ resisting and _yield_. _**Give in**._ It whispered. **_Surrender, and you will have power. Yes… LIMITLESS __POWER…_** The sensation flicked at him seductively. Instinctively he tried to reach for _that_ power _**–**_ _that _power that was currently beyond him; eluding him, teasing him, the little tendrils of power sending pleasurable sensations throughout his body as they coursed their way around. **_The easy way out is not the right way out. But must you be right? _**Crushing his instincts mercilessly, his knees buckling, he collapsed, clutching his head, screaming a silent scream. In a distant corner of his brain it mutely pondered as to how he was kneeling on nothingness.

_**YIELD!**_

_I… I… _He ground his teeth, and his tightly clenched fist drew blood. _I... WILL... __NOT…__**YIELD**__**!**_

Something gave way; it cracked, and he pushed through - there was a scream, a blood curdling scream that rang through the empty space, resonating, resounding; the world shattered, like glass, into a multitude of fragments that reflected and refracted. Except all that came back was nothingness – then there was light. It landed on him softly, lightly, caressing him, embracing him, and empowering him. It gave him strength; it gave him hope.

He opened his eyes. And he roared. It came from his soul – something so primal and ancient that was always there, yet incapable of being pinpointed. But one thing he knew, was that the roar set off something, triggering a series of processes that relentlessly and brutally ploughed through whatever resistance left in his body, modifying, altering, _changing_.

That something surged within him; it was something so unbridled that he couldn't restrain it. _It_ was something that couldn't be stopped, once set in motion. Something exploded _out_ of him, and with the dying cries of the explosion, went his consciousness. The last thing he saw was a rather familiar foot brushing across his face. _What..._

* * *

A/N : Just a little something that kept buggering me while I attempted to type out Chapter 11 of The Male Kunoichi - suffice to say that chapter is being a b***h. TMK will take precedence, and so updates may be sporadic. Now, Mountain Kinabalu, here I cometh at thee!


	2. Human?

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

To Awaken

* * *

Chapter 02 - Human?

* * *

He felt sore – like he had been used as a punching bag for the entire wrestling team. His muscles ached, and his stomach grumbled.

He tensed. There was someone in the same room as him, and the power the other exuded far surpassed that of even Moka's – given that she was a vampire, that quantity of power the person had was really unnerving and disconcerting. Surprisingly the other didn't move – he was sure that the other knew he was already awake. "Who are you?" He asked.

"So you have woken up, Tsukune-kun?" The person replied, choosing not to answer his question.

"Who are you?" He pressed.

"Aa, we have more... pressing matters to attend to first." The person strode closer. "Chiefly amongst them all – how, or rather, what are you now?"

"Huh?" Tsukune asked intelligibly. His eyes idled over the ceiling, not daring to look at the person. "What?"

"My first thought was that you became a Vampire – admittedly a Ghoul, but nonetheless a Vampire, but then you… changed." He chuckled. "Not Vampire, but not human either. Nor are you a hybrid – hence your classification in the school records currently reside as a series of question marks."

"How did you–" Tsukune bolted up from the bed. His sheets pooled near his waist, revealing that whatever area of his torso that wasn't covered by the hospital gown was bandaged. "No. Who are you?"

"And so it comes back to my identity. You give me too little credit, my boy." The person chuckled, his white priestly robes especially outstanding in the dark. "Honestly, if I didn't know what monster, or rather, what non-monster my students are, I would think I'd be an absolute dismal failure as the Board Chairman, wouldn't I?"

"Perhaps." Tsukune sighed. "So will I be expelled?"

"Expel?" He laughed. "If I didn't want you here I would have just rejected your application – why waste time and effort for a student I will expel?"

"Why?" Tsukune shifted the blanket aside, exposing his stuffy legs to the night air. He shifted to the side, grabbing the cup of water placed on the nightstand. "Why admit me, when you know I'm human?"

"Human?" The chairman snorted. "Before I answer, I'd prefer if you answered this question first: Why are monsters regarded as monsters in human society?"

"Because they indulge in acts of savage cruelty, and lack compassion…?" Tsukune paused. "And… Uh, I think that's the major ones."

"That is correct." The chairman picked a chair from the opposing end of the room and made his way over. "But tell me; disregarding the differences in natural capability, is the human race any different?"

"Huh?"

"Mankind is clearly by nature a warlike species." The chairman sat down beside him. "That particular fact has been proven by history. As far as I know mankind has had more skirmishes than we wars, and more wars than our total population count. It is precisely because of our power that we (well, most of us) know we must limit it – your kind doesn't. The weapons your kind has fashioned has killed and doomed more humans than we monsters did. In that light, you humans are even more of textbook monsters than we can ever be. Given your race's _shining_ résumé, what grounds do I have to reject your application?"

The chairman stood up. "I'll leave the seal on your door till tomorrow morning. I think you'd have quite some stuff to sort out before the sun rises, and so do I, as a matter of fact. Next time, please do refrain from wrecking school facilities. If you want to have a few skirmishes with the rest of the students, the grounds near the forest is an advisable, and much preferred location to utilize. I'd send Ruby-chan to bring you to my office tomorrow – we need to discuss what happened to you. Till then, I guess."

"Ruby-san?" Tsukune scratched his head.

"The witch you saved previously. She's my assistant now, but she's a little, uh…" The chairman paused. "Well, you'd know when it comes."

"Know what?" Tsukune asked.

"To tell or not to tell, that's the question." The chairman gave him a bout of creepy laughter. "Too bad, I guess." He promptly disappeared.

Tsukune sighed – his life was made up of more questions than he had answers for. And even now his race has just turned into yet another question – no longer human, but not vampire either. Casting a brief glance at the clock, he saw that he had two hours before the seal would release.

Sighing, he opened the window, and stared into the chilly night. He released a breath he didn't realise he was holding, and his eyes followed the wisp of vapour into the night sky.

A jingle on his arm alerted him to a foreign object around his wrist. Lifting his left arm, he peered at his wrist. There was some sort of odd bracelet on his wrist, formed out of short cylinders made out of what appeared to be silver, adorned with a cross in the middle of each. They ended with a lock, with the keyhole set within yet another cross. Upon closer inspection, the chain had a multitude of cracks in it. Hairline they might be, but cracks were still cracks. "What in the… I guess it's another question I'd have for the chairman."

He sighed, and stared at the half hidden moon. His future was worrying – how was he supposed to return to the human world when he wasn't human anymore? The night breeze brought no comfort, and his mind wandered.

* * *

"What happened?" Kurumu hissed, openly glaring at Inner Moka.

"Don't glare at Moka-sama!" Yukari scowled, summoning a basin.

Mizore stared intently at the door, her gaze focused on the black lines crisscrossing the wood. They pulsed intermittently, with a soft green glow. "The Chairman said it'd unlock when the sun rises." Ruby muttered, and Mizore nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"What _happened_?" Moka repeated softly. "That is a question even I do not know. He should be a Ghoul – he certainly was one when he annihilated Midou. But something happened, and he changed – changed into what, I don't know, but the only thing I can assure you is that he is no longer a Ghoul."

"So is he a Vampire now?" Yukari stared intently at Moka.

"I don't know." She admitted uneasily, shifting on her feet. "Out of the hundreds of annals of Vampiric history I've read, there has been no record of such a reaction. I don't know what to expect, honestly. It… intrigues me."

"_INTRIGUES YOU?_" Kurumu snarled, grabbing Moka's collar. "You were the one that made him this way! To think you still can feel intrigued…!"

"Being that his life is currently not under threat, I do think it's a logical step to progress from worry to interest, wouldn't it?" Moka easily escaped from the hold Kurumu tried to enforce. "It's precisely because I understand your motivation; hence your insolence will go unpunished."

"Unpunished?" Kurumu snorted. "Who the h-" A bandage roll shot out from the blue to end up gagging her mouth, reducing her protests to nothing but unintelligible squeals.

"Please do not yell in the corridors." A nurse smiled thinly at the group. "While you four might be energetic enough, the other patients need to rest."

Kurumu nodded frantically. "Mmpfh!"

"Thank you." The nurse bowed slightly, before proceeding on her way down the corridor.

"Whew, they're scary." Yukari sighed in relief.

"If you'd excuse me, I'd prefer to get some sustenance before the sun rises." Moka brushed Kurumu aside and headed in the direction of the stairs.

"How heartless can you be?" Kurumu scowled. "Tsukune-kun is behind the door sick, and all you can think of is food?"

"Starving myself will not make him wake up earlier." Moka tossed her hair back and continued on her path. "And he's not sick – he probably hasn't been as fit as he is right now in his entire life."

"Huh?" Kurumu retorted intelligibly.

"Cure yourself of your ignorance before you speak, succubus." Moka smirked, as she disappeared down the stairway. "I would be tempted to refer you to a teacher, but perhaps the human witch might be able to illuminate you instead."

"So… Yukari?" Kurumu rounded upon the witch. "What was she talking about?"

"Ehh?" Yukari blinked. "You don't know how to sense spiritual pressure?"

"Am I supposed to know?" Kurumu frowned.

Yukari palmed her face, groaning.


	3. Nothing is certain for man

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

To Awaken

* * *

It's almost retarded how well the series falls into pace with this fanfic. Hell, one could even say the implanted piece of Alucard was the **_BOLD_ **voice at the beginning...

Okay, maybe save for the _not a vampire _part. In honour of the latest chapter The Black Parade though...

_We saw it coming, this black parade will meet its end_  
_Oh you and I both know, this black parade, it's good as dead_  
_We will fight until the streets turn red_  
_This Black Parade will meet its end_  
_Oh you and I both know, this black parade, it's good as dead_  
_We will fight until the streets turn red_

_Black Parade - Globus_

* * *

Chapter 03 - _Nil homini certum est _(Nothing is certain for man)

* * *

"See," Yukari paused. "I'm not exactly sure how to describe this to you... I don't know how it _feels_ in Succubus terms."

Having relocated to the roof, both of them sincerely hoped that they won't cross the paths of that nurse again. With the cool night breeze flitting away, chased after by the minute rays of the rising sun, it was helpfully deserted, and thankfully open enough. Mizore had taken off first to settle some administrative issues and a report of sorts with Ruby.

"Okay okay okay. You're telling me to sense him by means of which you don't know?" Kurumu smirked. "So much for being a genius."

"For the record, I'm a genius _witch_." Yukari pouted. "I'm no expert in the matters that would concern Succubi!"

"Aww, not that much of a genius are you then?"

"I'm a genius, _not_ an encyclopedia!"

"What's the difference?"

"Aargh!"

* * *

Moka attacked the bowl of now-lukewarm noodles with less vigour than she had expected. Despite what her senses were yelling - nay, _screaming_ at her - she couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty and uncertain. _He's healthy. And that counts._

"He'll be okay."

Jolting up, her attention rapidly shifted from her thoughts towards the person now seated in front of her. Her tired senses took a few moments to process what her visual cortex was churning. "Chairman."

"He'll be okay." The man shrugged. "Never the same as before, but definitely not hurt or dead."

"I... I... I don't understand."

"You'll realise when you get older, that there are more things we don't know compared to what we DO know." The Chairman shifted forward in his seat. "Even here, couple of stories down, _even _with the shielding between each floor, I can still feel his sheer vitality thumping. I'm sure you do, too."

"How..." Moka shook her head. "Even if I trace the archives all the way back to the time where we vampires just emerged, where the reports are sketchy at best and ridiculous at worst, I've never seen such an occurrence before..."

"I know." His fingers traced a pattern only he could see on the table. "I've tried. He's clearly not a ghoul, not a hybrid, not a vampire either, and very apparently he's no human too. Any lesser monster would go crazy with fear just by being in the same room as him."

His finger stopped. "Even at this moment my Silver Cross seal is struggling somewhat unsuccessfully to keep it contained and not drive the entire hospital mad."

"Of course, it's not tailor made for him and amounts to a stop-gap solution at best, but to think even the Silver Cross has issues when he's just in his natural, energy conserving state..." The Chairman sighed. "We'd be lucky as long as nothing goes wrong for now."

His chair skittered backwards as he drew himself to full height. Moka observed silently as the man turned slightly to move away, and was somewhat surprised when he spoke again. "If your family asks, tell them to look for me directly. Please tell them, should they ask, that I can confirm he's no Dhamphir nor Ghoul. But they shouldn't hear of this anyway..."

"Yes, Chairman."

* * *

"This... this is?!"

"I know, right?" Yukari paced the building. "Now you understand why we-"

"But... but how?!"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be a student, would I?"

"How- How can you be so calm?!" Kurumu shivered. "This- this is..."

"This is insane, I know."

"There's _fucking_ shields between each floor! Shields powerful enough to prevent cross level and even cross room contamination!" Something snapped within her, and it all came pouring out. "I can't even feel the I'm-Oh-So-Pretty-So-Smart-So-Powerful-Vam-Fucking-Pire or the Chairman, one of the Three Dark Lords, but how... how can Tsukune-kun... He's- He's just blanketing the entire damned building with his power! What did she do to him..."

"Even Moka-sama doesn't know, and she's the Vampire here..." Yukari sighed. "You _think_ I'm calm, but I'm a mess inside, but what use is being all nervous and afraid in this situation?"

"But I can't- How- I-" Cradling her head in her hands, the Succubus shook.

"He'll be up and about soon, Kurumu-san." Yukari laid a hand on the shivering shoulder. "And with what he's going to face, he'll need all our strength and help. Unreserved help. We must be there by him, with him, _for him_, without doubt in our hearts. Come on, let's go back. We need to rest too."

* * *

"I guess you're here for me?" Tsukune stretched, back facing the door.

Ruby almost jumped when she heard him speak. Her hand had barely touched the door handle when he had spoken. Letting herself in, she tried to assuage the fight-or-flight instinct that had been triggered. "Tsukune-san, you already know how to sense spiritual pressure?"

"I... I'm not too sure what it is." Tsukune laughed nervously, his left hand scratching the nape of his neck. "It's just... I... I can sense things, you know?"

"Sense things?" Curiousity aroused, Ruby couldn't help but ask. Surprisingly she felt okay in his presence, certainly not stressed nor fearful. Of course, deep within her, in the primal, deep, ugly, _black_ part of her she kept locked away, the aura radiating softly from the man she thought she knew well enough from her encounter resonated so deeply, so much so that if she had handed over the controls of her body to it it would have escaped the country just to get away from that man. But she had risen above it, _ascended _it even, and she just felt... okay._  
_

"Yes. I can feel... things." He bit his lip nervously. "Would you believe me if I said I _know_ there are five more patients on this floor, two with broken arms, the third with a shattered rib cage, and two more with leg injuries?"

"I... I'm sorry Tsukune-san, it's a bit... Impossible."

"I know what you mean. I find this difficult to believe myself." He smiled thinly. "The shields in the building should be preventing me from sensing them, so I'm not too sure why..."

She was genuinely surprised. Not many knew about the information, and even then, most of them weren't aware of its purpose. "You know about the shields?"

"I can feel them too." Tsukune laughed haltingly. "Hahaha... Look at what I'm saying. No matter. Let's go, I don't want to keep the Chairman waiting."

* * *

"I wonder... Ruby-chan reported that you mentioned to her you can sense other people in the hospital...?"

Tsukune wasn't too sure of what he was supposed to do, especially since Ruby had entered the man's office earlier and exited moments ago to send him in. When he entered, Ruby had retreated almost immediately and closed the doors behind her. Now in that gigantic office there was only the two of them, and the Chairman wasn't even facing him, but staring out the window. The chair he was sitting in chose that exact moment to start feeling prickly and uncomfortable.

"Well, yes..." He scratched his neck nervously. "At least, I _think_ I can feel them."

"Tell me, at the time of your discharge, how many patients were there?"

"Well, there were five other patients on my floor, but there's about... Forty seven of them in total?"

"!"

The Chairman swivelled around so quickly Tsukune almost scrambled out of his chair.

"Interesting..." Mikogami Tenmei swept around. So far the day had proven very fruitful. "Very interesting, Aono Tsukune."

"Would you believe me if I said I understand how most creatures sense others?" A quick nod. "I guess you do then, but rest assured, out of the Three Dark Lords I possess the most knowledge about other monsters. Vampires have one of the most acutely sensitive extrasensory perception abilities known to us, capable of discerning not just location but intent and condition, unlike most other monsters. But even then we have designed the shields between each floors to overwhelm all but the most ancient of Vampires. And they're all... gone. Of course, the effect is lessened when we consider just a single floor, but even so you _should_ not be able to do that."

"I'm not sure what I can say."

"Maybe you can start by telling me what happened _inside_. I know about the general series of events, but I need more information. More details, more facts, more knowledge. I cannot make bricks without clay."

* * *

Moka (with her rosary back in place) paced the floor in the waiting room nervously.

"Stop that." Kurumu snapped. "You're making me giddy."

The summoned basin made contact with her head and she was about to resume her fight with that _annoying _witch when Ruby entered. "Ruby-san!"

Yukari stood up almost hurriedly. "Any news?"

Ruby shook her head. "The seal is still active on the door so I assume they're still talking."

"This is taking long..." Mizore's lollipop stick twitched. "I'm scared."

"It'll be okay." Ruby tried to smile. "Mikogami-sama will not hurt Tsukune."

* * *

"Well, that was... not very illuminating. But first, we have to do something about that almost oppressive power output of yours." Mikogami twirled his utensils as he stared at his freshly jotted notes. _Maybe Fuhai will have some idea..._

"Huh?"

"I'm not sure if you have noticed, but you are giving out an extraordinarily impressive aura that _will_ wreck the spirits of any lesser monster. Look at your left hand. See that chain there?"

"The cracking chain?"

"Yes, that." Mikogami smiled thinly. _Okay, I really do need that 2D maniac here._ "It has the ability to contain somewhat obscene amounts of youki, but as you can see, it's not faring too well. One of my finer creations, if I may say."

"I'm sorry-"

"Of course it's going to crack. It wasn't designed to deal with someone so powerful I can sense you easily despite being separated by at least five layers of shielding back in the hospital." Mikogami tapped his fingers together. "You will have to learn how to control your powers sooner or later, but for now I'll give you a quick lesson on how to control your power."

"My... power?" Tsukune couldn't really believe his ears. Was the Chairman - _A DARK LORD_ - saying that he was actually, really _really_ powerful?

"Yes. Despite what some may think, it is fully possible to regulate how much of your... aura, shall we call it that, you are emitting at any time. I think all you need to aim for now is to bring it down to the level similar to that of your unconscious state. The nurses didn't seem to have any issues when you were unconscious."

"And for that, you're going to need a lot of... practice." Mikogami grinned. Yes, he should really call Fuhai over to take a look.


	4. I am

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

To Awaken

* * *

I don't really agree with the direction the manga has taken. I will be using snippets, but not all.

* * *

Chapter 04 - I am

* * *

"If performed everyday, it should help you get things under control before I can get Touhou Fuhai here to take a closer, more exacting look." Mikogami leaned back in his chair. "I am no Youjutsu expert; at best, an adept. He has likely forgotten more about Youjutsu semantics than I have ever learned."

"Thank you Chairman." Tsukune collapsed into his chair. The mostly non-physical exercises didn't even test the limits of his newly expanded endurance, but the concentration required was something else altogether and left him feeling severely drained.

"The new Silver Cross seal has been more strongly tuned to your Youki and reinforced doubly. It should last for a significantly longer duration than the one I used initially, especially since you've now learned how to control your Youki better." The shattered remains of the seal littered the ground and Mikogami mutely noted that he'd have to get it cleaned up. "Of course, it poses no danger for you to unlock the seal, but for the sake of the existence of the... grounds, please don't take it off for every Youkai that looks you the wrong way."

"I don't -"

"I do not know whether your new state brings with it any psychological changes or not, Aono Tsukune." The chair creaked. "And truth be told, it would have been a far cleaner situation had you progressed into a Vampire or had died. To be crude, Ghoul or not, it is a far more... _acceptable _situation we would have in our hands right now. I'd rather not take the risk."

"I suggest you leave the opposition to the Vampire Akashiya Moka as usual and use only the barest minimum of your strength when it is really necessary." Tenmei sighed. "The barrier holds, but until you are able to wield your Aura as an extension of yourself, I cannot in good conscience allow you to wield full strength in this Academy."

"I... understand, Chairman." Tsukune nodded his head briefly. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me too quickly." Tenmei drew out an envelope and handed it over to the quizzical Tsukune. "I'm afraid we have to engage in some give and take. My services don't come free."

"This is...?"

"I have taken... the, ah, liberty, of replying the Shuzen family." A frown. "Their agents are most efficient and security a little lax, and although I wished to avoid it..."

Tsukune popped the wax seal and slid the envelope's contents out. What did Moka's family want with him?

It was an invitation. The cover stated as much. Grandiose, even. Extravagant. Something told him the gold flakes weren't faux. The workmanship... He could probably buy a house in Tokyo with the money that went into the invitation. A comfortably large landed estate even.

He stared.

"They are _most_ interested to meet you, a, shall we say, _acquaintance_ of their leader's daughter." Tenmei steepled his hands together, looking somewhat... uncomfortable? "I have somehow convinced them against coming out to meet you here, and in return they wish that you attend this function of theirs. It's their October Ball, the premier event of the Vampire year, at The Fort, and the party begins at 5 pm. Very grandiose, posturing event."

"And I... must go?" His finger scratched the sides of the invitation nervously. "Can- can I not-"

"Make no mistake, Aono Tsukune. This is no social visit. This is a... well, a _game _of sorts to them. Or so they think. They do not know. Yet." Tenmei frowned. "They believe you, although unusual your circumstance is, is but a newly awakened Vampire, and you need to follow their hierarchy."

"They mean to crush you."

"Wh- why?!" He stood so quickly the chair rocked backwards and clattered on the floor. "Why do they want to-"

"You must realise that Vampires, as one of the most powerful races in the monster world, are pretty used to getting their way. Akasha once described the rest of them as walking egos." He hadn't really meant to break the news to the boy this quickly, but the more time the boy had to prepare, the better the likely outcome. Besides, the girl likely received her own letter and instructions already. "They consequently enjoy one of the most strictly... restrictive societal orders. Your circumstance, and late awakening, has them convinced you are one of the lesser Vampires whose bloodlines aren't clearly defined."

"...Akasha?" Who _was _that?

"Akasha Bloodriver, the leader of our trio. Part of next semester's curriculum, I believe. She's the birth mother of Akashiya Moka. She is currently... predisposed at the moment and will not be there. A pity." He shook his head. "She would have likely prevented this whole farce in the first place, but Shuzen Issa is... lacking in judgemental ability, shall we say, and..."

_How to put it... _He shrugged. "You'll see when you get there. I'd wager the patriarch will welcome you himself. A farce, of course, but they've practice."

"But what am I supposed to do?"

"Their properties are heavily defended and sealed. Their confidence in those ancient seals is supreme, misplaced as it is. They have invited you to the Fort after all, one of their grander properties. It is a sanctuary of sorts for them, and have had existed for a long time, possibly before the 1700s." Tenmei allowed one of the rare smiles he have had in many years to cross his face. "I believe they will be offended by the Silver Cross and they will... shall we... say... that your lineage will be the least of their troubles... Mmm?"

"I don't think I should-"

"I have no doubt that you 'do not think' many things, Aono Tsukune." Really, what an impertinent brat. "You have scarcely any IDEA on how the world revolves. No. You will attend that function, or die trying. It is-" Mikogami Tenmei released the breath he had been unconsciously holding. Shuddering from the exhalation, he collapsed into his chair. "Sorry. It's just so... Politics. I didn't sign on as the Chairman to deal with paperwork and feed the egos of some brats."

"But... why do they want to see me? I don't think I come across as very interesting..."

"You must understand that the Shuzen clan is old. Very old. Traditional, even. One of the first recorded Vampire was a Shuzen. Their name _means _a lot in the community. Most of the Vampires fly their banners or are at least close allies. Those that don't tend to be outcasts and have issues integrating with the Youkai society. Today, when you say Vampire, you mean Shuzen. To have a new, unknown and unaffiliated Vampire pop up while their clan still stands... I don't think I really have to spell this out, do I?"

"They... fear me...?"

"Oh, superficially yes." Tenmei shrugged. "They do _not _fear your power. At least, not yet. What they fear is what you could be."

"Huh?"

"You must have realised that the longer you live, the more enemies you have." Tenmei smirked at the boy's suddenly uncomfortable disposition. "Credible threat or not, if someone aligned against you came in the picture at the right time in the right place, it could all fall. They may be prideful, but they are cautious. A somewhat odd mix of course, but the clan did not survive to this day without anything to show for it. You represent a potential spark, a spark that might ignite the fuse. I suspect your proximity to one of the heiress escalated your threat level."

"They do not realise - they do not _know_ - that you are not a fuse, you're an atom bomb waiting to blow. Blow up in their faces, and blow up their silly egos and plans along with it."

Tenmei strode from his desk. "I believe Akashiya Moka will be attending the Ball as well. I have arranged with the Bus Driver to meet the two of you at 4.30pm at the Gates to send you there, and have also prepared the excuse chits. What I require from _you_ in exchange, out of all this nonsense from the Shuzens, is simple, really. You must..."

* * *

"Hey." Tsukune forced a smile on his face as the doors swung open to the waiting rooms.

He was moderately amused as his body automatically side stepped that wee bit necessary and the teary Succubus ended up breast hugging the Chairman.

"Easy there ladies." Tenmei smiled gently as the embarrassed Succubus shot off him. "He's free to go, but try to keep him out of fights until further notice. I don't think the cleaners would like more work to do, especially considering how much over time they had to put in thanks to the... ah, incident prior."

"Understood, Chairman."

"Good. Then get out of my office." The man laughed. "The day is still young, and I have work to attend to."

* * *

They filtered out of the Administrative Building silently.

"Tsukune-kun..." Kurumu whined. "Do you not like me anymore...?"

"Huh?" Tsukune nearly jumped when the Succubus had whimpered behind him.

"But you avoided my hug! You've never done that before!"

"I didn't-"

"Quite apparently sometime in between you ended up attracted to the Chairman." Mizore deadpanned.

"I'm not!" Kurumu protested. "I just missed!"

"You miss the Chairman, yes?" Mizore smirked. "He's in the office back there, now shoo."

"I _MISS TSUKUNE-KUN!_" Kurumu snarled. "And most certainly NOT the Chairman!"

"Yes yes, I'm sure." Mizore rolled her eyes. "The earlier you stop denying it, I can have Tsukune-kun for-"

The falling wash basin froze. "He's mine and Moka-sama's!" Yukari protested.

* * *

The argument lasted till somewhere past the Cafeteria. The scent of sustenance simply gripped their attention and the bickering females - somewhere in between, Moka had been sucked into the argument - proposed a truce in order to eat and fill their engines.

_Something's not right... _Tsukune mused privately as he stirred his not-so-well-done pasta. _Something's... off._

If he had to admit, it was probably Moka. She had been far less bubbly and cheery as she had usually been, and had yet to pester him about his blood. Highly unusual behaviour. Then again, _all _the girl were considerably more subdued than they had been before. Sure, they argued over him again, but there was less fire and brimstone and more water and mud. Sluggish. Almost... deliberate. Of course.

They were worried. Of course they were. He had undergone such a drastic change he wasn't sure if he really understood yet, and of course they had been worried.

He leaned backwards, and the chair creaked in protest. Yukari and Kurumu had been arguing about something again, Moka was slowly eating her parfait, Mizore attacking her sundae... And they were looking at him. Not straight on of course, but with the corners of their eyes, flickering. Never staying too long, but incessant.

"I'm okay, you know?" He spoke.

The four downright jumped.

"Really." He played with the few broken pieces of linguine that had been left on the plate. "I'm... different, but I'm alive, and I'm still here. That counts. I'm okay."

* * *

He really didn't need the 'group-hug' or whatever Kurumu had came up with after his little speech. Really.

The corners of his lips tugged.

He could do with less attempts to bury his face in her cleavage though.

"Oh well..." He laughed softly, scratching the nape of his neck.

He had excused himself, wanting to return to his dorm and get his laundry done, and they had agreed without much fuss, surprisingly.

He waited till they had passed the stairwell before he turned around. Really, she should have known he could sense her, right?

Moka let out a small 'eep' and stumbled backwards, but he managed to catch her before she tripped.

"Are you okay?" He had asked.

She stared at him, eyes somewhat watery, before a 'hick' sound escaped her throat and buried her face into his shoulder and started crying. He really wasn't used to comforting women, especially sobbing women with-

_Bad Tsukune. Baaaad_. He blushed as he felt her rather substantial assets press against him.

She tried to speak between sobs, but with her face pressed against his shoulder it didn't come across coherently. "I shouldn't have - You were - I -"

He rubbed her back softly. "It's okay now. I'm healed, healthy, and fine. It's okay..."

When her sobbing had subsided, he tried speaking again. "I'm going to grab you a bottle of water from my room, and maybe we can go to the roof-"

"Okay."

And then she had entered his room and sat down on his chair.

"I... I need to talk to you, Tsukune."

His eyebrow arced.


End file.
